Two people die in separate weather-related crashes as Weld County roads get slick

Feb. 01--A winter weather advisory will be in effect until 9 a.m. Thursday for central and southern Weld County, along with other portions of northeastern Colorado.

The National Weather Service issued the advisory Wednesday afternoon because of the potential for freezing rain and ice.

Already by Wednesday afternoon, many roads throughout the county were icy and slick. Weld County Sheriff's Office spokesman Cpl. Matt Turner said deputies were busy with a rush of traffic crash calls, throughout the county, especially on highways.

Colorado State Patrol spokesman Trooper Josh Lewis said two people died in separate Weld traffic crashes on Wednesday, after the ice storm hit. The first crash happened just before 3:10 p.m. on Colo. 392 at Weld County Road 45, about 3 miles east of Lucerne. The crash happened when the driver of a GMC sport utility vehicle lost control and the vehicle rolled over. The driver was a woman. She was killed in the single-vehicle crash. The westbound lane of Colo. 392 remained closed Wednesday afternoon while crews worked to clear the crash and investigate.

Later, just before 3:30 p.m., Troopers were dispatched to a crash on Colo. 14 about a mile east of Ault. He said he did not immediately know many of the details about the crash. However, at least one person had died in the crash and multiple other victims were taken by ambulance to North Colorado Medical Center.

In each case, he said, it's likely that weather was a factor. He said crews on scene request sand to make the roads less slick.

He urged drivers to use caution, noting it isn't always visible when ice has coated a road.

"This stuff, you can't see it," he said. "We really want everyone to be safe."

The Colorado State Patrol also went on crash alert in Weld, Lewis said. Under an crash alert, drivers who are involved in a non-injury crash don't need to call the police. The drivers should exchange each other's personal and insurance information, and then contact authorities later file a report.

Turner said all drivers need to take it slow and drive carefully.

"Give yourself time to get where you're going and then drive aware of what other people are doing on the road," he said. "Drive safe."

Ice accumulations of up to a 10th of an inch on hard surfaces such as roads, bridges and overpasses is expected. Visibility will be as low as a half mile at times in fog, and light freezing rain is possible.

"The freezing drizzle and ice accumulation could produce hazardous driving conditions," the weather service stated "Drivers should anticipate icy road surfaces and reduce their speeds. Brief road closures may also occur."

Thursday's high in Greeley is expected to reach 33 degrees, with drizzle and patchy fog under mostly cloud skies. Clear skies will return Friday, and the high will reach 37 degrees, according to the weather service.

By the weekend, high temperatures in the upper-50s will return under mostly sunny skies.

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